


On Another's Sorrow

by lunarknightz



Category: Glee
Genre: Episode Related, Gen, Shooting Star
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2013-04-15
Packaged: 2017-12-08 14:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/762652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarknightz/pseuds/lunarknightz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers for "Shooting Star".</p><p>The news about the events at William McKinley are quick to spread.  Those who hear the news are affected, if they are near or far away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Another's Sorrow

**Author's Note:**

> _Can I see another's woe,_  
>  And not be in sorrow too?  
> Can I see another's grief,  
> And not seek for kind relief?
> 
>  
> 
> _-William Blake, "On Another's Sorrow"_

Quinn celebrated her triumph over her biology test with a large coffee from her favorite coffee cart (getting coffee from that cart made her feel fifty shades of Rory Gilmore). Finals were coming up soon, and it would be tough, but she loved the challenge. Coming to Yale had been a very good decision. 

Just after she paid for her drink, her phone began to chime. The sound came from a Lima News app that she’d put on her phone in a wave of homesickness back in October. In habit, she pulled it out to see what the news was- it was probably something like Brittany’s discovery of the Tubbington-Bop asteroid that hadn’t been earlier in the week.

 **“SHOTS FIRED AT MCKINLEY HIGH.”** The update screen read. **“NO WORD ON CASUALTIES.”**

Quinn’s drink fell to the ground forgotten, as she pulled out her phone and started to text.

______

It had been a long day of voice lessons and theory classes, as the finals season at NYADA grew near. Kurt loved the challenges and opportunities that NYADA brought, but he would be glad when the pressure of finals was over. Kurt felt a great sense of relief when he opened the door to the apartment. He wasted no time collapsing on the couch.

His phone buzzed with his text tone, and he pulled it from his pocket to see what the message was.

As he read the message, Kurt’s heart fell.

It was from Blaine.

 _“Shots fired at school. I’m scared._ ”

Kurt stared at the phone, frozen in shock. 

_“Are you okay?”_ Kurt texted back. _“Keep texting me till they give the all clear.”_

___________

Mike had developed a serious Twitter addiction. His schedule was jam packed with rehearsals and classes, but it was ever so worth it. He was chasing his dream, and he could feel that it would all pay off, in the end. Twitter was easy- one hundred and forty characters, an easy way to express yourself and keep in touch. It was an easy way to live in the present when you were living for the future.

After a class, Mike pulled out his phone to check Twitter. Filling up the screen were a bunch of messages about a school shooting. At William McKinley.

Immediately, he dialed a number he knew by heart. 

“Tina?” He said, his heart beating a million miles a minute in his chest. “Are you okay?”

“Mike!” Tina sobbed. “I’m…I’m okay. I was just about to go into Glee, and the shots rang out, and everyone in the halls was directed outside, and now everyone else is in Glee, and I’m stuck out here not knowing what’s going on, and if anything happens to anybody, I’ll never forgive myself….”

“It’s going to be okay.” Mike tried to be soothing, but he wasn’t even convincing himself. 

_______

As a rule, Santana tried not to pay attention to the televisions at Coyote Ugly. Who would come to a restaurant full of hot dancing babes and want to watch TV anyway? And television without the whining voices of the stupid crybabies that were stupid enough to be on a reality show like _Survivor_ or _The Bachelor_ was just a waste of time, plain and simple.

For some reason, today, she looked up at the screen. What she saw on the screen made Santana lose her balance. She fell off of the bar, resulting in a severely sprained ankle, a visit to an urgent care clinic, and a week or two of Worker’s Comp.

“AN APPARENT SCHOOL SHOOTING ON THE CAMPUS OF WILLIAM MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN LIMA, OHIO.” The scroll on the television had read.

As soon as she could, Santana pulled out her phone and texted Brittany.

For the longest time, there was no answer.

 

__________

Rachel’s phone rang just as soon as she turned it back on after class. The tone she chose for Finn, _“Don’t Stop Believing ”_ , echoed off of NYADA’s marble halls. 

“Finn!” She said, answering the call. “To what I do I owe this call?” They hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms, as of late. Friendly-ish non speaking terms, but non speaking terms all the same.

“You didn’t hear?”

“I’ve been in class or voice lessons all day. I literally just turned my phone back on, and you called.”

“Are you sitting down?”

“You might want to.”

“Finn, quit being cryptic and tell me what’s going on!”  
“Somebody brought a gun to school. To William McKinley. And they shot someone.”

“Who?” Rachel felt sick to her stomach. Not William McKinley. Something like this couldn’t happen….not in Lima. Lima was supposed to be a safe place. It had been _her_ safe place.

“I don’t know…they didn’t say.” Finn sighed. “Puck and I are going to head over there and see if we can find anything out.”

“Let me know when you find anything out. I have to talk to Kurt. And Santana. I wonder if they’ve heard….”

“Let me know if you hear anything.” Finn said, “Please.”

“I will.” Rachel said in a small voice. “Thanks for the call, Finn.”

“Sure.”

“And Finn?” 

“Yeah?”

“Be safe, okay?”

“Yeah.” He said softly. “You too.”

______

It was no Lima Bean, but this particular Starbucks in L.A. was Mercedes’ favorite place to unwind after a long day in the studio. She ordered her favorite coffee and waited in line for her name to be called.

“Hey.” Someone tapped on her shoulder. “I know you, I think. Where do I know you from.”

Mercedes looked up into the face of Cooper Anderson, Blaine’s older brother. “I went to high school with your little brother. You did a master class for our school last year.”

“Oh yeah.” Cooper smiled. “I never forget a face. How are you doing?”

“I’m just your average struggling studio musician hoping to be discovered and get my own record deal.” She smiled, “But I’m doing pretty good. How are you doing?”

“Pilot season loves me. Now if one of the networks would just pick up my show, I’d be golden.” The barista called his name. “It was good to see you. Take care.” Cooper grabbed his drink and left.

Mercedes waited for another couple of minutes and her drink was called. As she started to leave the restaurant, she ran into Cooper, who promptly shoved his phone under her nose.

“Had you heard about this?” He asked.

On Cooper’s phone was a text from Blaine. “Shots just rang out at school. Don’t know what’s going on, but I’m okay at the moment. Love ya, bro.”

“There was a school shooting at McKinley? I can’t believe it.” Mercedes said, numb.

“I’m not even there, and I’m terrified. If anything happens to Blaine….”

“I’ll try seeing if I can hear anything from other kids at McKinley.” Mercedes pulled out her phone, and sat down at a nearby table. Cooper joined her, and they sat together, silently digesting the news as it came. They stayed together until Blaine called, and they’d both talked to him. 

______

“Dude, slow down.” Finn warned Puck.

“I have to go and check on Jake.” Puck growled. “Man, shit like this never happened when we were at McKinley.” Puck was completely and totally freaked out, Finn could tell. But hey, it was his little brother. Finn could understand that.

The last half an hour had been a whirlwind- since the TV station had broken into the Judge Judy marathon that they’d been watching at the dorm room to talk about the shooting incident at McKinley High. There was no question in either of their minds that they had to get to the school and see if they could help in anyway. Visions of the Glee Kids that he’d helped teach this year as well as his quite complicated relationship with Mr. Schue made Finn’s stomach feel woozy. If anything had happened to any of them….Finn wasn’t sure if he’d ever recover.  


He’d called Kurt quickly, and apparently the Glee Kids were okay- according to Blaine, everyone but Brittany and Tina was already in the room, hiding from the gunman. And he’d called Rachel, because somehow, he couldn’t not call her. Finn needed to hear her voice.

They parked on the street a few blocks away- emergency vehicles and vans from the local television stations made it impossible to get any closer. They ran as far as they could, to the point where students were gathered outside the school, by the busses.

“Tina!” Finn yelled, and she ran over to them. It was an awkward three way hug, but it felt so good to know she was safe. They stood together, worrying and brooding until the police officers called out an all clear.

A few minutes later, the Glee kids came out the doors. Puck ran and hugged his brother. The kids all came up to Finn, and gave him a hug (or in the case of most of the boys, a high five). 

And then Finn saw Mr. Schue, who was walking off towards the teacher parking lot.

“Mr. Schue!” Finn yelled, and ran off towards him. “Look, I know you probably still hate my guts. I know that I betrayed your trust and that I pretty much invalidated our friendship, and I can’t say I’m sorry enough. But when I heard about the shooting today, I was terrified that something would happen to you. And that I wouldn’t get the chance to tell you that you changed my life for the better. Because of you, and you believing in me, I’m going to college now. I’m going to the University of Lima, and I’m going to be a teacher.”

“Finn, that’s great.” Mr. Schue sighed deeply. “I realized in there today, if that had been my last moment, that there would be things I would regret deeply…like throwing away our friendship. I’m sorry, Finn.” 

Will Schuester gave the boy who had once been his student, and who was now his friend, a large hug.

_____

She didn’t have a pamphlet for this.

Emma couldn’t tear her eyes away from the television. A school shooting. At McKinley. The school was supposed to be a safe place. And in an instant, someone had taken away that safety.. A text from Will, who seemed to be safe, _Thank God_ , had clued her in to the events at school, and she’d been glued to the television as of yet.

Technically, she was still on leave- she was scheduled to start back at school next week. But as Emma watched the camera pan over students in the crowd, she felt a pull. McKinley was her school. These were her students. And today, and in the days to come, they would need her help.

Emma picked herself off the couch, and turned off the television.

Right now, McKinley was where she needed to be.

**Author's Note:**

> I have not experienced an event of school violence in my own life, and the fact that they have become more prevalent in today's society saddens me to the core. My thoughts, prayers and heart go out to those who have experienced a such a situation in real life. 
> 
> Any errors in the story are mine.


End file.
